Broken Ties
by onelight
Summary: Sequel to Family Ties. Their lives were forever tainted by Mika, Robbie's having it harder. He tries to find himself, regain his memory, and live his life. Most of all he wants to find be with Jade, which makes him desprate to remember who he is.


You have to read Family Ties first because you won't understand what's going on in this, if you haven't actually read it. I want to give this a happy ending, so this is my attempt at that. I hope you guys like this.

Please Review

It's hard, looking out onto those faces, most of them literally lightening up upon seeing him take a seat. By now their invested. They've listened intently the whole case, heard everything the attorney prosecuting him had said - all - every single tiny detail. Their abuse… their suffering by the hands of Mika Lonzo. They had been given testimony from specialists from both sides of the ail. They had seen photos - the ones showcases what he had done to Mika and that man, the ones of what Mika had done to them. All of it was just hung out their. Just before him, a day ago, Jade West testified… He hadn't looked at her. He hadn't looked at anyone the whole time in the court, but now he had no choice - he has to face everyone and everything.

His lawyer smiles at him gently as he comes to stand.

"Tell us what Mika Lonzo did to you and Jade West. How did you end up in her custody?"

Robbie looked down before looking up again.

"I was on my way to school… I got a flat tire and this man showed up - Mason. He made it out as if he was going to help me change it but… I woke up strapped down to a chair in Mika's basement, with Jade…"

His lawyer nodded. "So, you were taken?"

"Yes"

"While in Mika and Mason's custody explain to me what happened. How were you treated?"

It was so quiet in the courtroom even though it was packed, his voice echoed. "She told us we were her children, taken away from her fifteen years ago. She…"

"She was big about whippings correct?"

"Yes she was."

"What type of things would she whip you for?"

"Disrespect, not following her rules, any time I would question her - anything."

"Explain whippings, Robbie."

His throat tightened and his back grow ridged, his back burned with phantom wounds. "Mason would hook us to the ceiling in the basement… Mo - Mika would get her whip. Certain punishments has a certain amount of whips associated."

"She also hurt you in other ways correct… explain those to me."

"Cuts… broken bones, cracked ribs. Once Mika threw a pot of boiling water at me for…"

"For what, go on, Robbie."

"Being… Be - being to close to Jade. Our relationship troubled her, she use to say. Much to close for siblings… even twins…"

"She thought your relationship with Jade was something dirty. How did it make you feel? To be accused of that type of relationship with someone you saw as your sister because of your amnesia?"

"It made me feel dirty… filthy and disgusting. I couldn't even understand why she would assume that."

The lawyer nodded and looked down at a few papers in his hands, letting the words sink in. "You have amnesia correct?"

"Yes" He looked down.

"So even after the cops found you, you believed this woman you called mother because everything she ever told you believed as fact?"

"Yes"

"Did you kill Mika Lonzo?"

He had been prepared fro this question. They had gone over it a million times.

"Yes I did."

"Why did you kill Mika Lonzo?"

"I was afraid. I was afraid she would hurt us again. She had already found me, made contact with me… I was afraid she would get in contact with Jade too. I was afraid she would come and take us again."

"You didn't want to her to hurt you and Jade anymore? You feared for your own safety?"

"Yes"

His lawyer nodded and smiled tightly, then looked at their judge. "That is all I have for the witness."

The boy's body tensed more as attorney prosecutor stood and rubbed his chin as he walked towards the wooden podium.

"You have amnesia, correct, Mr. Shapiro?" The man's green eyes locked on him, considering.

"Yes"

"Then how are you so sure how you ended up in the custody of Mika Lonzo?"

"I remember that." He answered without missing a beat. "I can remember the very day I was taken now."

"How are you so sure though. You have false memories correct? Memories that aren't actually real…"

"Yes I have false memories. I'm sure because… I remember." His eyes go to his lawyer whose nodding at him.

Prosecutor Johns nodded. "Are you saying your memories are coming back?"

"Yes"

"Your real memories…?"

"Yes"

"Are you sure…?"

"Objection your honor!"

"I'm sorry," the attorney says holding up a hand. The graying judge gives the man a displeased look. "How do you feel about the girl you once thought of as your sister? Do you still think of her as your sister? Your memories are muddled so your likely confused."

"I don't think of Jade as my sister…"

"What about the girl Sky? Yo -"

"Objection, your honor. Seriously what is he asking?" His lawyer had stood.

"Mr. Johns, what are you asking?" Their judge asked unhappily.

"I'm just trying to get into the mind of Robert here, understand what he's thinking."

"Continue, Mr. Johns and I better see your reasoning for these questions soon."

His lawyer sat back down, looking completely unhappy.

"Thank you, your honor." The man turned to Robbie. "Do you view Jade as Sky?"

"Not anymore…"

"Do you love her, Jade I mean?"

"Objection!"

"Mr. Johns…"

"I'm almost there, your honor."

"Over-ruled, answer the question, Mr. Shapiro."

Robbie thinly pressed his lips together. All eyes were on him - including hers. His chest ached.

"Yes… I do…"

"Not like a sister?"

"No."

"I guess what I'm getting at Mr. Shapiro is, Mika Lonzo is an awful person _if _what you remember is what happened… You weren't fitting in right? Ms. West was regaining her memories quicker then you, she was meeting up and getting along with friends… leaving you behind and alone. You were angry, right? You wanted someone to blame for that."

"Objection, your honor!"

"What is your question, Mr. Johns? You're trying my patients."

"I'm sorry again." The man says. "I guess I'll say… You wanted someone to blame for Jade moving on, for no longer being Sky, correct? It wasn't that you were afraid of Mika Lonzo, because if you were why didn't you call the cops as soon as she contacted you? Why didn't you? Why did you instead contact her and meet her in the alley in which you killed her and Mr. Todd Hamm?"

Robbie looked down, his eyes going briefly to the audience, locking with Jade's for only a second.

"I… I didn't trust the cops to do anything this time." He told the man strongly. "They had failed before… this wasn't the only time Mika had us, fifteen years ago she had us for three years. They didn't catch her this time even though she was in the area. I didn't trust they would do anything this time either. I was afraid…" His voice cracked, a tear raced down his face.

The lawyer sighed. "Mika Lonzo certainly committed wrongs against you. What about Mr. Todd Hamm? He was a father of three, he hadn't even done anything to you. Do you feel it's alright that you killed him too?"

"Objection!"

"You don't have to answer that, Mr. Shapiro." Their judge told him. "Is that all, Mr. Johns?"

"That's all, thank you." The man returns to his seat.

"Mr. Ausson, you have anything else to ask your client?"

"No, your honor."

"You can step down now, Mr. Shapiro."

Robbie got onto his feet a little wobbly and stepped out of the witness booth, head bowed. He could feel every eye in the courtroom on him.

_You will never fit in here._

He took a seat back down beside his lawyer, careful not to look at anyone.

"I think we all need a recess. Closing arguments tomorrow first thing at eight. Court is in recess."

The quiet once clinging to the courtroom erupts as everyone begins to talk and leave. He gets back onto his feet as the handcuffs are tightened around his wrists by the officers and he begins to be led back out of the courtroom.

"I'll talk with you later today." His lawyer says and he nods.

()

The closing arguments are quick the attorney prosecutor uses words and says he had planned on murdering Mika Lonzo, that he acted as a man on the mission, a man with an vendetta. Explained how he felt for him but nothing that he went through gave him any right to murder Mika Lonzo and Todd Hamm. That, that wasn't the way their system worked. He tells them to find him guilty of murder.

His lawyers closing statement was that he was driven to do this. That he had no other choice. He was afraid. He was protecting himself and Jade West, in his mind.

They go into recess after that and five hours later they are called back for the verdict. He's numb as he gets to his feet.

He's guilty of 2nd degree murder on both counts but he's sentenced only two years by his judge - one year already served, second year turned into five years of community service. He got off easy but considering the nature of the case he felt it was what he felt was right.

He can go home.

His mother hugs him tightly sobs escaping her making her body shake. He hugs her back weakly as his father pats him on the back.

"Oh my boy… my precious boy." She whispered. "You've been through so much…"

"You all should go before any reporters catch wind we came out this way." His lawyer says all grins even though he had technically lost, things had all turned out well.

"Oh yes…" The woman wipes her eyes and cups his face. "Let's get home. Let's go home, take my boy home."

He nods and lets his mother grip his arm tightly and lead him out of the courthouse. After a year he was going home to the home he had only recently started remembering again. His memories were locked in a box still but he hoped it wouldn't be like that for long.

Please Review


End file.
